Behind The Alpha Book 2 WES

THEA

We ran for two nights, the moons red light fading a little more. That still doesn’t save those who suffer from its pain.

I’m consumed by those feelings I had the night I unleashed my power on these poor people. I had no idea this would happen. I don’t know what to do. I’m hoping my oak tree will reverse my persuasion so they can leave the building. It won’t save them, but it will give them their best chance to survive outside.

I hope I can do this in this form. I don’t want to reveal myself. It’s why I didn’t want Wes coming with me. I have to do my tree magic in my original form. I’ve never tried to do it in my shifter form.

As I lay with Wes' wolf, I think I need to do this on my own. I hear him breathing softly as his head rests next to mine. He doesn’t sense anything wrong with my wolf and that’s a good thing. I don’t shift like he does and I have to mimic the wolfs demeanor because it’s not a separate entity within me. It is me.

I raise my head to River sleeping just a little ways from us. His midnight black fur gently blowing in the breeze.

Both of them can’t know where my tree is. It’s too dangerous. For them and me.

My tree is my keeper. It’s a part of me. My connection to what I am and the element I control. If Artemis were to find it, he could take it from me and kill my essence to the forest. I won’t die, but I wouldn’t be a hybrid anymore. Then Artemis would be free to take my power and kill the rest of me.

I look back at Wes. He’ll have to understand when this is over. I just can’t do what he wants.

I press my head against his, gently and stand. I tiptoe out of our resting spot. When I get to the trees, I break into a run. Another full night and I’ll be at my oak. I hope the moon hasn’t affected him. He’s probably seen a lot of them, but he’s very old.

As my wolf runs through the trunks, I feel so sad. This is getting way bigger than what I wanted. Every time I try to fix something, I make it even worse and I have to hide more from Wes. I’m a horrible person. Being a child of the forest, I’m not supposed to be like this. I’m selfish. I realize this now.

If I really want to fix this with Wes, I’m going to have to tell him what I am. I don’t think I’m going to be able to hide any more from him. My heart can’t take it. I’ve fallen for him so much, I see that now…he doesn’t deserve this. Of all the things I’ve learned, this was the most important one.

I enter the clearing and shift. My mighty oak stands in the center. His huge trunk standing strong and tall.

“Hello.” I whisper.

The wind blows and his branches creak.

“I know. I’m sorry.” Tears well in my eyes. “I didn’t know of blood moons. I wouldn’t have done it if I did. I need your help. Please. These people don’t deserve to die because of me.” I look up to the leaves as a tear rolls down my cheek.

The winds blow again. It’s top sways.

I sniff back my tears. I nod. “Please. If you help me save them, I’ll return to the forest. I promise. I won’t ever leave again.” I hitch. My heart breaks at the thought of leaving Wes forever, but I see my place is here. “Just help me.” I humble myself at his trunk.

I look into his canopy. Silence. I walk up and hug his trunk. “Please.” I whisper. I listen to his life force and I let him feel mine. I let him see what’s in my heart. I wanted to show I was sincere.

The wind picks up and I hear three plunks behind me.

I turn to the sound. I reach down and pick up an acorn. I turn it around in my fingers and look back at the trunk. “Thank you.” I give a small smile.

I pick up the other two and wave my hand to a large bottle. I drop all three acorns into it.

I put the cork on it and walk to the path that I found Mia on. I’m on a walk to my pond.

Soon, I come to my small pond. My heart ached when I saw it. It was so long ago. I almost wish I never stepped onto the bank that day knowing what I know now. The moon sprinkles across the slow rippling surface. The tiny frogs croak from the rocks and the cattails gently sway. It’s so much simpler here.

When I get there, I step onto the surface and walk across the water at a patch of lily pads. I take off the cork and pour water from each water lily flower into it. Once the jar is full, I walk back to the bank.

I hold the jar in the moonlight, close my eyes and call my sparkles. I change to my real form. With my bottom lip to the edge of the jar I whisper the words of the elements into it. Sparkles leave my lips and fall into the water. When they hit the surface, the water starts to change from clear to green. The acorns glow blue on the bottom. I put the cork on it and watch the sparkles fall into the water like colored liquid. My green eyes watch and wait for it to be complete.

Once done, I wave my hand and my magic makes it disappear to be kept safe.

I walk across the water and step to the bank. As I get to the bank, I’m stopped.

“Now, what could you be doing out here?”

I stop with a start and take a step back. River steps out onto the path with his hands behind his back and his head lowered. He stares at me with a smirk.

I look around for Wes, but he’s not here. “River…I…I can explain…” I stammer as I try to find some way to explain my appearance to him.

“No need, Thea. I understand.” He says slyly.

It was then I realized I wasn’t speaking to River.

“Artemis.” I choke.

He smirks more. Gold shimmers around him and he melts his form to the one that inhabits my nightmares.

“Where's River?” I ask as I step back onto the water.

Artemis ticks his head. “He’s not what you’re really worried about Thea, is he?”

“You can’t. You can’t have it.” My face heats as I back up even more.

“I’ll get it, Thea. You can’t stop me.” He snarls.

He turns to an eagle and jumps into the air. He flies at me with talons out and I scream. I disappear and reappear on the bank. I look back as Artemis turns around and comes back.

I run down the path to where my tree is.

I cloak myself and continue to run past it. I kept looking back, but I don’t see him anywhere.

As I round a corner, I hear the loud scream of a big cat. I’m hit by a panther and we roll across the forest floor.

I’m forced to uncloak, pinned by the large, black paws, I stare into the yellow, angry eyes.

He growls in my face, flashing his large teeth.

I scream and throw my hand up to his stomach. The panther flies off me and hits a tree. I scramble to my feet and run. I need something. Anything. I think about what to do as I weave through the trunks.

I hear loud growling and crashing of the forest behind me. I turn and look. A large bear is tearing up the path behind me.

I can’t just disappear with Wes out there. I have to fight.

I twist my hips and skid in the dirt. I call my gold shimmers and turn to a spider monkey and jump to the tree tops. If I can lose him in here, I can come back for Wes and get him out.

I swing from branch to branch. Leaping as fast as I can. He changes to a hawk and flies through the treetops after me.

He comes in for a dive and I duck down, hugging the branch I’m on. The hawk screeches loud as he flies by me. I feel his large talons skim my fur. I watch as he flies off to turn around.

I leap and bound my way back where I came from. I hear the hawk coming in for another strike.

I look to see his large beak open and claws spread. I leap to another tree on the other side of the path.

His hawk hits me and I fall to the ground. I’m forced to shift to my original form from the painful impact. The hawk dive bomb me and he lands on me as Artemis.

He pins my arm above my head. The searing pain and fear in my body has me paralyzed.

Tears fall as I look into his angry eyes. “Please, father. Don’t do this.” I beg.

“I’m sorry, Thea, but I love your mother more.” He pulls his large, black Blade of Death from a holster on his thigh designed to stretch with his shifts. He runs the tip of it across my cheek. I roll my head back and scream as the tip cuts my flesh. I’m now trapped. My powers are useless.

He leans down to me. “Take me to your tree…NOW!”

“No! Please!!” I cry out. My large green eye are tear filled slits.

“Oh yes!” He grabs my hair and pulls me to my feet. I sob, uncontrollably as he pulls me with angered vigor. “You little thieves will not live another day.” He grits as he drags me crying and screaming to my clearing.

I don’t want to die. I can’t let Artemis have my tree. I have no choice…

“WESLEYYYY!”

****

WES

As if in a dream, I hear my name screamed. I wake with a start just as the echoes die in the trees.

‘Thea?’ I think in my wolfs head as I come to and realize she isn’t beside me.

‘River.’ I groggily get to my feet.

I look to where he was sleeping and he’s gone too.

My wolf stands still and scans the surrounding forest. ‘River? Where are you?’ I link.

A scream comes from behind me. My wolfs head whips to where it came from. ‘Thea?’ A loud growl soon follows. ‘THEA!’

My wolf pushes off the dirt and runs into the forest. His wolf ears perk up, listening for direction.

I run fast through the trunks. My claws digging in.

A million things run through my mind as I frantically search.

Did a male grab her? Did River fall to the affects of the moon and carry her off while I was sleeping. My wolf growls darkly at the thought. I have no issues of killing him if he hurts Thea. I’ll tear him apart.

My paws hit the ground like a freight train. I hear struggling, whimpering and more screams.

Fuck!

When I round a bend, I was not prepared for what I found.

My wolf growls and snarls. He barks as I see the bodies through the trees. He bursts through the treeline and lands on the path they’re on.

Artemis turns to face me with a evil smirk on his lips, but it was Thea who caused me to skid into the dirt, stopping to stare.

‘Thea?’ My voice sounds distant.

My wolfs eyes looks her over.

Long, grassy looking hair. Soft, pale green skin and larger than normal, fluttery green eyes. Her dark green full lips were fallen and I could sense her fear. Her skin is like summer shimmers. Her body is tiny like Mia’s. I don’t understand. It's Thea, but it’s not.

Artemis lets out a sarcastic chuckle. “Let’s go.” He growls.

The struggle of him pulling Thea down the path resumes and it snaps me out of it.

‘THEA!’

My wolf runs to him and lunges. He lands on Artemis and we both crash to the ground. My wolf grabs his shoulder and bites hard. He screams and shifts to a tiger. He throws me off and the tiger spins around. It’s sharp claws swipe and tear at me as I try to get another bite in. Leaf litter and dirt fly from our paws as we spin in circles trying to attack.

His tiger hisses loud and lunges across the ground at me. My wolf bites and drool flies from my teeth. He barks and growls in pure rage.

I run around the tiger and jump sideways at him. I land my jaws onto his back and shake. The cat screams and he changes to a baboon with huge canines. He reaches around and grabs me. He pulls my body to his mouth and bites my rump. My wolf yelps loudly and let’s go. The baboon runs at me and grabs my back. He throws me to the ground and pounds on my with his hands. His power is unmatched. My wolf tries to bite at his arms. He gets his back paws under Artemis and pushes hard. Artemis hits a tree and shifts to a buffalo. He hoofs the ground and runs at me.

I jump out of the way and Artemis skids, stops and goes in for another ramming.

At the last minute, my wolfs dodges and grabs his throat. He uses his strength to pull the Buffalo down. We both hit the forest dirt and indent it as we crash across the path.

I hold Artemis' jugular in my teeth to deliver a crushing strangulation. My wolf growls in pure satisfaction.

The next thing I know, I’m biting into the body of a thick boa constrictor. My wolfs eyes meet that of the angry snake. In a flash, his body rolls and I’m in a coil of death. His crushing pressure causes me to shift. I arch and grit as his pressure increases with every breath I take.

My eyes are slits. The snake hisses and flicks its forked tongue out next to my cheek. My body and face turn red. My vision starts to turn white as I see Thea laying at the base of the tree. She’s not moving.

“Thea…” I struggle out a whine as I feel myself dying.

In my fogged head I hear a roar and roll my head. A lion runs up the path and slams into the snake. I feel his pressure loosen and I can’t get a bit of air back.

The snake hisses and the lion grabs the snakes head. He backs up fast, pulling on the snake.

The snake drops me and I fall to the ground with a loud coughing fit. My entire middle is screaming and throbbing.

The lion fights the snake as it tries to avoid being crushed.

I struggle to my feet, holding my ribs and shakily walk to Thea. I fall to her side. Her head and shoulder are leaning on the tree and her body is stretched across the floor.

I look her over. Not expecting this at all. I move her hair and there’s a cut on her cheek. From the cut is a spider web of black veins. They’re spreading across her face and down her neck.

Her eye opens weakly. “Wes…” She says quietly.

I lean down to her. “Thea. What’s going on?” I whisper.

She tries to lift her head. “…dying…” She chokes.

I look up at the fight going on several feet from us. I feel my wolfs anger increase a thousand times. My face twists into rage as I target the snake.

I jump from my spot, shift and run at the snake like a rocket.

I wrap my jaws around its girth in the middle. His blood pours past my lips as I dig deeper.

With all my strength I tear at his thick writhing skin. He thrashes and my wolf is tossed around, but not letting go. The lion bites and claws at its head. It’s attacked at two fronts.

His skin crunches and rips in my teeth and I pull my head back with vengeance.

The chunk rips off him. The snake practically squeals. He shifts to an injured falcon and takes to the air. His bird disappears into the sky.

I spit the snake’s skin on the ground. I watch it turn black and melt into the soil.

I shift and run to Thea. Half her body is covered in black webs under her skin.

“Thea…Thea…Wake up…” I grab her head and lift her into me. My body pushes the confusion aside and now I’m worried sick I’ll never see her again. “Thea!” I shake and she moans.

The lion shifts to Jesse. I raise my head to him and he takes big steps to me.

“I don’t know what’s wrong.” I look to him and back down to Thea.

He looks at her head and wound. “I do, but I need to take her now. I can save her.” He eyes me.

I look into her face and move her hair. I reluctantly nod.

Jesse stands. “I’ll return in a days time.” He shifts to a giant eagle. I get out of the way as he picks up Thea in a foot. He pushes off the ground and rises through the trees into the sky.

I was left in the woods beaten, hurting, scared and confused. I sit my ass down and try to process everything.

What the hell am I supposed to think of all this?